


Growing up

by shxnosuke



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:48:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27163420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shxnosuke/pseuds/shxnosuke
Summary: His height wasn’t the only thing that was changing as the both of you grew up.
Relationships: Semi Eita/Reader
Kudos: 41





	Growing up

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written in a long time but I wanted to start again and guess this is something.  
> This is something inspired by 20cm by Tomorrow X Together (TXT).  
> I welcome constructive criticism and let me know if there are errors I missed out!
> 
> (cross posted on my tumblr shxnwrites.tumblr.com if you'd like to head over :p )

Semi once met your eyes on the same level as his.

You stood beside your parents with a gentle smile and glimmering eyes as your parents introduced your family to Semi’s family.

Seeing your smile, he couldn’t help but give in to the tug at the side of his lips which was usually turned down.

* * *

Semi realised his eye level was slightly lower than yours.

When you both were in the third year of elementary school, he mentioned that on the walk home from one of your daily summer adventures together. You simply puffed up your chest and gave a cocky smirk.

Deciding he wasn’t going to put with this, he was going to get his revenge with some chalk. He knocked on the door of your house next door, with your mother greeting him.

Semi bowed and apologised, “I’m sorry to disturb, but can (l/n) come over just for a moment? It’ll be really quick!”

Your mother gave her approval and you chased his back.

Gesturing towards a spot in front of the wooden frame of his house entrance, he instructed, “(l/n), stand against the door for me.”

“Huh, why?”

“I’m going to mark your height.”

You smirked at him again.

“Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

Both of you did this every summer without fail, with you winning for consecutive years.

* * *

Semi’s gaze met yours at the same level again.

When you both were in the second year of junior high, you left for Tokyo for summer vacation.

Being in the boys’ volleyball team of Shiratorizawa Junior High, he wasn’t very much affected by your absence. Had it been when he was in elementary school, he would have felt as if a part of himself was missing. Though, it wasn’t to say he didn’t miss you at all.

In the first year, he would come home to reply to your texts asking about his practice. Even though both of you were neighbours, he usually reached home later and was too tired to meet you to talk. On days when there were no practice, the two of you would hang out in each other’s house or go somewhere once in a blue moon.

Summer that year, your texts were a little inconsistent. He got texts from you asking about practice. He didn’t get texts from you asking about practice.

If the latter happened, he found himself typing out how his practice went in the chatbox, only to select the paragraph, save it to his clipboard on his phone and delete it. He always thought to himself, _maybe I’ll send that later instead_. But he never sends any of them and just tossed his phone aside.

When you returned on the last day of summer, both of you stood in front of his main door again.

“Hey, (y/n).”

“Hey, Semi. Sounds like your voice has deepened a little.”

Semi hummed as if to show off his voice, and you both proceeded to take your heights. It was undeniable that Semi had become as tall as you, and he was going to become even taller. He shot you a look, saying how’s that?

You gave a defeated laughed before giving a brief “see you”. When he didn’t respond, you looked behind to find Semi in a daze. You waved your hands and he finally reciprocated the parting phrase.

Since then, both of you stopped comparing heights, the white dust fading away on the wooden frame.

* * *

In the first year of high school, Semi was busy with morning and after school volleyball practices while you busy with basketball practices ever since you joined. The competition seasons for both sports didn’t match up as well, thus the time you two spent were limited to the occasional morning walks to school and walks home after school.

One of the days happened to be a day when it was pouring, and you had conveniently forgotten your umbrella at home. You figured you were not going to walk home without an umbrella, and you had no one else to go to but Semi.

You paced in front of the towering doors of the gym, unsure of whether you should enter. You weren’t afraid of the huge guys of the volleyball team, but you were afraid you would give Semi’s teammates the wrong impression.

Just as you were about to give up, the doors opened and a lean boy with explosive red hair and a cheeky smile on his face stopped in his tracks when he met your gaze.

“Uh… I’m looking for Semi… I guess?”

Immediately, he twirled to face the members in the gym and yelled, “Semisemi! A girl is looking for you!”

You could hear distant “oohs” and “aahs” and a flustered Semi shouting “STOP”.

Needless to say, he was surprised to see you.

“What are you doing here? Don’t you have basketball practice?”

“I don’t today and I forgot my umbrella at home so I can’t go home.”

“I’ll just pass mine to you.”

Semi immediately turned and ran into the gym, quickly returning with his umbrella and shoved it into your hand.

“Huh? What if the rain doesn’t let up when you’re done with practice?”

“I’ll just run in the rain.”

“I’ll wait for you. We’ll share this.”

Fortunately, or unfortunately, the rain did not let up when Semi finished volleyball practice. The two of you squeezed under the small black umbrella that he held, with only the sound of the rain filling both of your ears. 

With only his bag between the two of you, Semi picked up on the faint scent of your shampoo. It was a gentle, lavender smell that tickled his nose. Without thinking, he patted your head. Your breath hitched and Semi was brought out of his trance with the abrupt stop in your tracks.

Face heating up, you looked up at him.

“Look at you… Your shoulders are all wet…”

With both of you still under the umbrella, he switched holding the umbrella with the other hand and moved behind you. In an instant, his arms went around you without touching you and blinking once, he was on the other side of you.

“What’s with you touching my head then?”

“You were so short, I thought getting your attention with your head is easier than reaching for your shoulders.”

You tutted, but with a smile on your face.

This time, Semi’s ears were filled not just with the sound of the pitter-patter of the rain, but the thumping of his heart too. 

That night, Semi’s heart was still pumping. He couldn’t stop thinking about the smell of your shampoo that he had never noticed before. He couldn’t stop thinking about how you would have fit his shoulders perfectly if he had chosen to pull you into his chest there and then.

When he closed his eyes, it was all you.

* * *

On graduation day, after saying all your goodbyes, Semi met you at the school gate to walk home together for the last time.

You walked slightly in front of him, not uttering a word. His eyes were fixated on you and the small distance between the two of you.

One handspan. All he needed was to reach his hand out to you to close that gap. The gap he realised he wanted to close ever since the first year in high school. All he had to do was to stretch his hands out and pull you back.

He knew he didn’t have much time; you were reaching your houses soon. That day was the last before you were going to leave for Kyoto. But his arms stayed rigid at his sides, refusing to budge.

You stopped in your tracks just before the turning to your houses, his eyes meeting your puffy ones. His heart throbbed.

“I guess this will be the last time I’ll see you for a while. Thank you for all the years, Semi.”

Your eyes shimmered a little, glossing over with tears. Immediately, you turned away and continued to walk once again.

Suddenly, you felt a strong grip on your shoulders. A soft murmur followed.

“Please come back to me.”

Your tears spilt and with your back still facing him, you nodded.

“I will.”

Gently, you let yourself be pulled into a gentle embrace, fitting into his frame. Semi buried his nose in your hair, taking in the scent of your shampoo as much as he could.

When both of you pulled away, he looked down to your eyes, his eyes filled with affection.


End file.
